Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with the treatment and prevention of autonomic dysfunctions.
One such method of treatment is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 7,599,736, issued to DiLorenzo, entitled “Method and apparatus for neuromodulation and physiologic modulation for the treatment of metabolic and neuropsychiatric disease.” Briefly, this inventor teaches an apparatus and method for physiological modulation, including neural and gastrointestinal modulation, for the purposes of treating several disorders, including obesity, depression, epilepsy, and diabetes. The method and apparatus includes a chronically implanted neural and neuromuscular modulator, used to modulate the afferent neurons of the sympathetic nervous system to induce satiety, including neuromuscular stimulation of the stomach to effect baseline and intermittent smooth muscle contraction to increase gastric intraluminal pressure, stimulation of sympathetic afferent fibers, including those in the sympathetic trunk, splanchnic nerves, and greater curvature of the stomach.
United States Patent Application No. 20110034376, filed by Lubbers, et al., is entitled, “Use of Lipid-Rich Nutrition for the Treatment of Post-Operative Ileus.” Briefly, the invention is directed to the use of a lipid-rich nutrition for the manufacture of a composition for the prevention and/or treatment of post-operative ileus. In peritoneal lavage fluid, the lipid fraction was said to inhibit IL-6 and TNF-alpha levels, wherein the lipid fraction prevents influx of neutrophils in the intestinal muscularis following intestinal manipulation.
Finally, United States Patent Application No. 20070093434, filed by Rossetti, et al., is entitled “Regulation of food intake and glucose production by modulation of long-chain fatty acyl-Co-A levels in the hypothalamus.” Briefly, the invention is directed to methods of reducing food intake and glucose production in a mammal, or restoring hepatic autoregulation are provided. The methods involve increasing long-chain fatty acyl-Co-A (LC-CoA) levels in the hypothalamus, or stimulating efferent fibers in the hepatic branch of the vagus nerve.